Lowest Tuition Law Schools: ABA-Approved Options

Written by LawyerEDU.org Editorial Staff, Last Updated: November 11, 2026

Fact-checked by Susan Maphis

The University of the District of Columbia has the lowest resident tuition and fees of any ABA-approved law school reporting an annual rate: $13,438 for 2025-2026, as reported to the ABA. Brigham Young ($15,992 for church members) and CUNY ($16,013) follow. Nonresidents usually pay more at public schools, and 30 schools charge by the credit instead.

Featured Programs:

How We Chose These Schools

Every school on this page is ABA-approved, and every figure comes from the American Bar Association. Nothing is estimated, and the sponsored school listings on this page have no effect on which schools appear or in what order.

Who’s included: the 163 ABA-approved law schools in the 50 states and Washington, D.C., that reported an annual full-time tuition rate for the 2025-2026 academic year in their 2025 Standard 509 Information Reports. The 30 schools that reported only a per-credit rate are listed separately and not ranked. Puerto Rico’s three ABA-approved law schools aren’t included.
How they’re ranked: by resident total, lowest first. Resident total = full-time resident annual tuition + required full-time resident annual fees, both exactly as each school reported them. Schools with the same total share a rank.
Nonresident rates: shown with the same formula, but not ranked. Private schools usually report one rate for everyone. Where a school reported no separate nonresident rate, the table says so.
Other figures: living budgets, tuition guarantee programs, conditional scholarships, LSAT and GPA medians and acceptance rates come from the same 2025 Standard 509 reports. Bar passage comes from the ABA’s 2026 first-time bar passage report, which covers bar exams taken in 2025.
Updates: schools post new Standard 509 reports each December, and we’ll update the rankings after the ABA publishes the next set.

All 163 Schools Ranked by Resident Tuition and Fees

The figures are for full-time study in the 2025-2026 academic year, as reported to the ABA in 2025. Each total is followed by its two parts so you can check it against the school’s own report.

Rank	School	Resident Tuition and Fees	Nonresident Tuition and Fees
1	University of the District of Columbia (D.C.)	$13,438 ($12,438 tuition + $1,000 fees)	$25,874 ($24,874 tuition + $1,000 fees)
2	Brigham Young University (Utah)	$15,992 ($15,992 tuition + $0 fees), Latter-day Saint rate*	$31,984 ($31,984 tuition + $0 fees), rate for non-members*
3	CUNY School of Law (New York)	$16,013 ($15,450 tuition + $563 fees)	$26,203 ($25,640 tuition + $563 fees)
4	University of South Dakota (South Dakota)	$17,113 ($12,076 tuition + $5,037 fees)	$37,221 ($32,184 tuition + $5,037 fees)
5	University of Arkansas at Little Rock (Arkansas)	$17,474 ($13,770 tuition + $3,704 fees)	Not reported
6	Georgia State University (Georgia)	$17,596 ($16,162 tuition + $1,434 fees)	$39,320 ($37,886 tuition + $1,434 fees)
7	Southern University Law Center (Louisiana)	$18,832 ($11,338 tuition + $7,494 fees)	$34,332 ($11,338 tuition + $22,994 fees)
8	North Carolina Central University (North Carolina)	$19,190 ($13,444 tuition + $5,746 fees)	$41,862 ($36,116 tuition + $5,746 fees)
9	University of Georgia (Georgia)	$19,502 ($18,044 tuition + $1,458 fees)	$40,402 ($38,944 tuition + $1,458 fees)
10	University of Mississippi (Mississippi)	$19,957 ($19,797 tuition + $160 fees)	$26,957 ($26,797 tuition + $160 fees)
11	University of Tennessee (Tennessee)	$20,562 ($16,696 tuition + $3,866 fees)	$39,322 ($35,140 tuition + $4,182 fees)
12	University of New Mexico (New Mexico)	$21,020 ($19,474 tuition + $1,546 fees)	$44,738 ($43,192 tuition + $1,546 fees)
13	Texas Southern University (Texas)	$21,038 ($19,202 tuition + $1,836 fees)	$28,167 ($26,331 tuition + $1,836 fees)
14	University of Memphis (Tennessee)	$21,228 ($18,634 tuition + $2,594 fees)	$26,948 ($24,354 tuition + $2,594 fees)
15	University of Florida (Florida)	$21,804 ($19,139 tuition + $2,665 fees)	$39,662 ($36,148 tuition + $3,514 fees)
16	Louisiana State University (Louisiana)	$23,665 ($19,750 tuition + $3,915 fees)	$39,105 ($19,750 tuition + $19,355 fees)
17	University of South Carolina (South Carolina)	$24,022 ($20,322 tuition + $3,700 fees)	$41,800 ($38,100 tuition + $3,700 fees)
18	Northern Illinois University (Illinois)	$24,067 ($23,667 tuition + $400 fees)	$24,067 ($23,667 tuition + $400 fees)
19	University of Hawaii (Hawaii)	$24,076 ($23,304 tuition + $772 fees)	$47,500 ($46,728 tuition + $772 fees)
20	University of Oklahoma (Oklahoma)	$24,653 ($18,379 tuition + $6,274 fees)	$39,631 ($33,357 tuition + $6,274 fees)
21	University of Cincinnati (Ohio)	$24,810 ($24,010 tuition + $800 fees)	$29,810 ($29,010 tuition + $800 fees)
22	Northern Kentucky University (Kentucky)	$25,392 ($24,388 tuition + $1,004 fees)	$39,458 ($38,454 tuition + $1,004 fees)
23	University of Alabama (Alabama)	$25,879 ($24,980 tuition + $899 fees)	$48,999 ($48,100 tuition + $899 fees)
24	University of Arizona (Arizona)	$26,612 ($26,490 tuition + $122 fees)	$31,482 ($31,360 tuition + $122 fees)
25	University of Akron (Ohio)	$26,649 ($22,359 tuition + $4,290 fees)	$26,749 ($22,359 tuition + $4,390 fees)
26	University of Kentucky (Kentucky)	$27,301 ($25,685 tuition + $1,616 fees)	$51,452 ($49,836 tuition + $1,616 fees)
27	University of Montana (Montana)	$27,512 ($24,582 tuition + $2,930 fees)	$55,084 ($51,582 tuition + $3,502 fees)
28	University of Idaho (Idaho)	$27,516 ($27,516 tuition + $0 fees)	$46,752 ($46,752 tuition + $0 fees)
29	Texas Tech University (Texas)	$27,532 ($22,590 tuition + $4,942 fees)	$38,782 ($33,840 tuition + $4,942 fees)
30	West Virginia University (West Virginia)	$27,774 ($26,370 tuition + $1,404 fees)	$47,070 ($45,666 tuition + $1,404 fees)
31	George Mason University (Virginia)	$27,832 ($24,864 tuition + $2,968 fees)	$43,946 ($40,978 tuition + $2,968 fees)
32	University of Louisville (Kentucky)	$28,396 ($27,000 tuition + $1,396 fees)	$33,396 ($32,000 tuition + $1,396 fees)
33	University of Toledo (Ohio)	$29,598 ($26,446 tuition + $3,152 fees)	$30,598 ($26,446 tuition + $4,152 fees)
34	University at Buffalo (New York)	$29,750 ($26,430 tuition + $3,320 fees)	$35,420 ($32,100 tuition + $3,320 fees)
35	Arizona State University (Arizona)	$29,833 ($28,390 tuition + $1,443 fees)	$53,542 ($52,099 tuition + $1,443 fees)
36	University of Maine (Maine)	$30,160 ($26,100 tuition + $4,060 fees)	$42,220 ($38,160 tuition + $4,060 fees)
37	University of North Carolina (North Carolina)	$31,562 ($28,082 tuition + $3,480 fees)	$54,800 ($51,320 tuition + $3,480 fees)
38	Cleveland State University (Ohio)	$31,566 ($29,766 tuition + $1,800 fees)	$31,666 ($29,866 tuition + $1,800 fees)
39	University of Connecticut (Connecticut)	$31,600 ($30,354 tuition + $1,246 fees)	$62,642 ($61,396 tuition + $1,246 fees)
40	University of Tulsa (Oklahoma)	$32,300 ($30,840 tuition + $1,460 fees)	$32,300 ($30,840 tuition + $1,460 fees)
41	Texas A&M University (Texas)	$32,634 ($32,634 tuition + $0 fees)	$48,522 ($48,522 tuition + $0 fees)
42	University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Nevada)	$33,128 ($31,518 tuition + $1,610 fees)	$47,650 ($46,040 tuition + $1,610 fees)
43	University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (Massachusetts)	$33,456 ($31,766 tuition + $1,690 fees)	$43,255 ($41,565 tuition + $1,690 fees)
44	University of Iowa (Iowa)	$33,489 ($30,944 tuition + $2,545 fees)	$54,736 ($52,191 tuition + $2,545 fees)
45	Ohio Northern University (Ohio)	$33,900 ($33,900 tuition + $0 fees)	$33,900 ($33,900 tuition + $0 fees)
46	Temple University (Pennsylvania)	$34,137 ($32,588 tuition + $1,549 fees)	$50,545 ($48,996 tuition + $1,549 fees)
47	Rutgers University (New Jersey)	$35,607 ($31,577 tuition + $4,030 fees)	$51,893 ($47,863 tuition + $4,030 fees)
48	University of Utah (Utah)	$35,829 ($34,721 tuition + $1,108 fees)	$46,490 ($45,382 tuition + $1,108 fees)
49	University of Baltimore (Maryland)	$36,418 ($33,944 tuition + $2,474 fees)	$53,172 ($50,624 tuition + $2,548 fees)
50	The Ohio State University (Ohio)	$37,263 ($35,650 tuition + $1,613 fees)	$52,515 ($50,902 tuition + $1,613 fees)
51	University of Colorado (Colorado)	$37,325 ($35,992 tuition + $1,333 fees)	$45,335 ($44,002 tuition + $1,333 fees)
52	University of Wisconsin (Wisconsin)	$38,186 ($36,526 tuition + $1,660 fees)	$55,300 ($53,640 tuition + $1,660 fees)
53	University of Texas at Austin (Texas)	$38,236 ($38,236 tuition + $0 fees)	$56,822 ($56,822 tuition + $0 fees)
54	Indiana University Bloomington (Indiana)	$38,472 ($36,950 tuition + $1,522 fees)	$59,522 ($58,000 tuition + $1,522 fees)
55	University of Houston (Texas)	$39,222 ($31,326 tuition + $7,896 fees)	$53,947 ($46,051 tuition + $7,896 fees)
56	Mississippi Christian University (Mississippi)	$39,642 ($37,980 tuition + $1,662 fees)	$39,642 ($37,980 tuition + $1,662 fees)
57	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (Illinois)	$39,904 ($36,500 tuition + $3,404 fees)	$49,904 ($46,500 tuition + $3,404 fees)
58	University of Maryland (Maryland)	$40,009 ($37,830 tuition + $2,179 fees)	$58,023 ($55,844 tuition + $2,179 fees)
59	Faulkner University (Alabama)	$40,400 ($39,900 tuition + $500 fees)	$40,400 ($39,900 tuition + $500 fees)
60	Appalachian School of Law (Virginia)	$41,000 ($41,000 tuition + $0 fees)	$41,000 ($41,000 tuition + $0 fees)
61	Howard University (D.C.)	$41,412 ($39,780 tuition + $1,632 fees)	$41,412 ($39,780 tuition + $1,632 fees)
62	University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania)	$41,633 ($39,936 tuition + $1,697 fees)	$55,131 ($53,434 tuition + $1,697 fees)
63	University of New Hampshire (New Hampshire)	$42,348 ($42,000 tuition + $348 fees)	$50,348 ($50,000 tuition + $348 fees)
64	Wayne State University (Michigan)	$42,594 ($38,861 tuition + $3,733 fees)	$46,365 ($42,632 tuition + $3,733 fees)
65	Barry University (Florida)	$43,150 ($42,000 tuition + $1,150 fees)	$43,150 ($42,000 tuition + $1,150 fees)
66	Michigan State University (Michigan)	$43,868 ($43,480 tuition + $388 fees)	$48,610 ($48,222 tuition + $388 fees)
67	South Texas College of Law Houston (Texas)	$44,960 ($42,960 tuition + $2,000 fees)	$44,960 ($42,960 tuition + $2,000 fees)
68	Mercer University (Georgia)	$45,082 ($44,782 tuition + $300 fees)	$45,082 ($44,782 tuition + $300 fees)
69	Elon University (North Carolina)	$45,333 ($45,333 tuition + $0 fees)	$45,333 ($45,333 tuition + $0 fees)
70	Liberty University (Virginia)	$45,348 ($43,150 tuition + $2,198 fees)	$45,348 ($43,150 tuition + $2,198 fees)
71	Capital University Law School (Ohio)	$45,456 ($45,066 tuition + $390 fees)	$45,456 ($45,066 tuition + $390 fees)
72	William & Mary (Virginia)	$46,102 ($38,734 tuition + $7,368 fees)	$70,839 ($62,900 tuition + $7,939 fees)
73	St. Mary’s University (Texas)	$46,310 ($44,910 tuition + $1,400 fees)	$46,310 ($44,910 tuition + $1,400 fees)
74	University of Washington (Washington)	$47,073 ($45,927 tuition + $1,146 fees)	$58,956 ($57,810 tuition + $1,146 fees)
75	Samford University (Alabama)	$47,334 ($46,334 tuition + $1,000 fees)	$47,334 ($46,334 tuition + $1,000 fees)
76	St. Thomas University (Florida)	$47,578 ($44,730 tuition + $2,848 fees)	$47,578 ($44,730 tuition + $2,848 fees)
77	University of Oregon (Oregon)	$48,612 ($47,240 tuition + $1,372 fees)	$60,867 ($59,495 tuition + $1,372 fees)
78	Roger Williams University (Rhode Island)	$49,090 ($47,400 tuition + $1,690 fees)	$49,090 ($47,400 tuition + $1,690 fees)
79	Charleston School of Law (South Carolina)	$49,684 ($48,600 tuition + $1,084 fees)	$49,684 ($48,600 tuition + $1,084 fees)
80	Nova Southeastern University (Florida)	$50,710 ($49,350 tuition + $1,360 fees)	$50,710 ($49,350 tuition + $1,360 fees)
81	Drake University (Iowa)	$51,390 ($50,920 tuition + $470 fees)	$51,390 ($50,920 tuition + $470 fees)
82	University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)	$51,632 ($50,998 tuition + $634 fees)	$51,632 ($50,998 tuition + $634 fees)
83	Marquette University (Wisconsin)	$51,970 ($51,970 tuition + $0 fees)	$51,970 ($51,970 tuition + $0 fees)
84	Ave Maria School of Law (Florida)	$52,350 ($49,500 tuition + $2,850 fees)	$52,350 ($49,500 tuition + $2,850 fees)
85	Campbell University (North Carolina)	$52,770 ($51,840 tuition + $930 fees)	$52,770 ($51,840 tuition + $930 fees)
86	Western New England University (Massachusetts)	$53,020 ($50,320 tuition + $2,700 fees)	$53,020 ($50,320 tuition + $2,700 fees)
87	Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School (Georgia)	$53,586 ($52,536 tuition + $1,050 fees)	$53,586 ($52,536 tuition + $1,050 fees)
88	University of Minnesota (Minnesota)	$54,118 ($51,440 tuition + $2,678 fees)	$64,523 ($61,845 tuition + $2,678 fees)
89	UC Law San Francisco (California)	$54,329 ($53,087 tuition + $1,242 fees)	$63,015 ($61,773 tuition + $1,242 fees)
90	DePaul University (Illinois)	$55,628 ($55,328 tuition + $300 fees)	$55,628 ($55,328 tuition + $300 fees)
91	Western State College of Law at Westcliff University (California)	$55,648 ($54,840 tuition + $808 fees)	$55,648 ($54,840 tuition + $808 fees)
92	Saint Louis University (Missouri)	$56,190 ($55,260 tuition + $930 fees)	$56,190 ($55,260 tuition + $930 fees)
93	Mitchell Hamline School of Law (Minnesota)	$56,300 ($55,300 tuition + $1,000 fees)	$56,300 ($55,300 tuition + $1,000 fees)
94	Vermont Law and Graduate School (Vermont)	$56,457 ($55,382 tuition + $1,075 fees)	Not reported
95	Willamette University (Oregon)	$56,680 ($56,600 tuition + $80 fees)	$56,680 ($56,600 tuition + $80 fees)
96	Loyola University New Orleans (Louisiana)	$56,894 ($55,024 tuition + $1,870 fees)	$56,894 ($55,024 tuition + $1,870 fees)
97	Stetson University (Florida)	$57,017 ($56,521 tuition + $496 fees)	$57,017 ($56,521 tuition + $496 fees)
98	University of Richmond (Virginia)	$57,700 ($57,700 tuition + $0 fees)	Not reported
99	Belmont University (Tennessee)	$57,705 ($55,500 tuition + $2,205 fees)	$57,705 ($55,500 tuition + $2,205 fees)
100	Pace University (New York)	$57,756 ($56,648 tuition + $1,108 fees)	$57,756 ($56,648 tuition + $1,108 fees)
101	Quinnipiac University (Connecticut)	$57,760 ($56,610 tuition + $1,150 fees)	$57,760 ($56,610 tuition + $1,150 fees)
102	Gonzaga University (Washington)	$58,787 ($57,962 tuition + $825 fees)	$58,787 ($57,962 tuition + $825 fees)
103	Drexel University (Pennsylvania)	$58,850 ($57,000 tuition + $1,850 fees)	$58,850 ($57,000 tuition + $1,850 fees)
104	Wake Forest University (North Carolina)	$59,144 ($57,920 tuition + $1,224 fees)	$59,144 ($57,920 tuition + $1,224 fees)
105	Loyola University Chicago (Illinois)	$59,666 ($58,670 tuition + $996 fees)	$59,666 ($58,670 tuition + $996 fees)
106	University of California, Davis (California)	$59,870 ($57,460 tuition + $2,410 fees)	$72,115 ($69,705 tuition + $2,410 fees)
107	Washington and Lee University (Virginia)	$59,940 ($57,450 tuition + $2,490 fees)	$59,940 ($57,450 tuition + $2,490 fees)
108	University of San Francisco (California)	$59,990 ($59,800 tuition + $190 fees)	$59,990 ($59,800 tuition + $190 fees)
109	Duquesne University (Pennsylvania)	$60,118 ($58,898 tuition + $1,220 fees)	$60,118 ($58,898 tuition + $1,220 fees)
110	Penn State Dickinson Law (Pennsylvania)	$60,479 ($60,048 tuition + $431 fees)	$60,479 ($60,048 tuition + $431 fees)
111	Villanova University (Pennsylvania)	$60,750 ($59,800 tuition + $950 fees)	$60,750 ($59,800 tuition + $950 fees)
112	University of California, Irvine (California)	$61,288 ($59,080 tuition + $2,208 fees)	$73,533 ($71,325 tuition + $2,208 fees)
113	Lewis & Clark Law School (Oregon)	$61,484 ($61,434 tuition + $50 fees)	$61,484 ($61,434 tuition + $50 fees)
114	University of California, Los Angeles (California)	$61,862 ($59,084 tuition + $2,778 fees)	$74,107 ($71,329 tuition + $2,778 fees)
115	Touro University (New York)	$62,150 ($61,000 tuition + $1,150 fees)	$62,150 ($61,000 tuition + $1,150 fees)
116	Southwestern Law School (California)	$63,160 ($63,160 tuition + $0 fees)	$63,160 ($63,160 tuition + $0 fees)
117	Chapman University (California)	$63,201 ($63,126 tuition + $75 fees)	$63,201 ($63,126 tuition + $75 fees)
118	New England Law \| Boston (Massachusetts)	$63,216 ($62,896 tuition + $320 fees)	$63,216 ($62,896 tuition + $320 fees)
119	The Catholic University of America (D.C.)	$63,280 ($61,580 tuition + $1,700 fees)	$63,280 ($61,580 tuition + $1,700 fees)
120	University of the Pacific (California)	$63,318 ($62,678 tuition + $640 fees)	$63,318 ($62,678 tuition + $640 fees)
121	University of Denver (Colorado)	$63,812 ($63,390 tuition + $422 fees)	$63,812 ($63,390 tuition + $422 fees)
122	Suffolk University (Massachusetts)	$64,046 ($62,610 tuition + $1,436 fees)	$64,046 ($62,610 tuition + $1,436 fees)
123	Albany Law School (New York)	$64,234 ($63,994 tuition + $240 fees)	$64,234 ($63,994 tuition + $240 fees)
124	California Western School of Law (California)	$64,870 ($64,720 tuition + $150 fees)	$64,870 ($64,720 tuition + $150 fees)
125	Case Western Reserve University (Ohio)	$65,552 ($64,600 tuition + $952 fees)	$65,552 ($64,600 tuition + $952 fees)
126	Northeastern University (Massachusetts)	$65,850 ($65,652 tuition + $198 fees)	$65,850 ($65,652 tuition + $198 fees)
127	University of California, Berkeley (California)	$66,374 ($62,532 tuition + $3,842 fees)	$79,991 ($76,149 tuition + $3,842 fees)
128	Syracuse University (New York)	$66,940 ($64,650 tuition + $2,290 fees)	$66,940 ($64,650 tuition + $2,290 fees)
129	University of San Diego (California)	$67,751 ($66,950 tuition + $801 fees)	$67,751 ($66,950 tuition + $801 fees)
130	Southern Methodist University (Texas)	$68,686 ($60,844 tuition + $7,842 fees)	$68,686 ($60,844 tuition + $7,842 fees)
131	American University (D.C.)	$69,172 ($66,990 tuition + $2,182 fees)	$69,172 ($66,990 tuition + $2,182 fees)
132	University of Miami (Florida)	$69,218 ($66,720 tuition + $2,498 fees)	$69,218 ($66,720 tuition + $2,498 fees)
133	Emory University (Georgia)	$70,472 ($69,510 tuition + $962 fees)	$70,472 ($69,510 tuition + $962 fees)
134	Boston University (Massachusetts)	$71,382 ($69,870 tuition + $1,512 fees)	$71,382 ($69,870 tuition + $1,512 fees)
135	Loyola Marymount University (California)	$71,386 ($70,360 tuition + $1,026 fees)	$71,386 ($70,360 tuition + $1,026 fees)
136	Seton Hall University (New Jersey)	$71,550 ($69,660 tuition + $1,890 fees)	$71,550 ($69,660 tuition + $1,890 fees)
137	Boston College (Massachusetts)	$72,755 ($72,380 tuition + $375 fees)	$72,755 ($72,380 tuition + $375 fees)
138	New York Law School (New York)	$73,524 ($71,052 tuition + $2,472 fees)	$73,524 ($71,052 tuition + $2,472 fees)
139	Pepperdine University (California)	$73,550 ($72,920 tuition + $630 fees)	$73,550 ($72,920 tuition + $630 fees)
140	Washington University in St. Louis (Missouri)	$73,684 ($72,792 tuition + $892 fees)	$73,684 ($72,792 tuition + $892 fees)
141	University of Notre Dame (Indiana)	$73,950 ($73,430 tuition + $520 fees)	$73,950 ($73,430 tuition + $520 fees)
142	Tulane University (Louisiana)	$74,756 ($69,578 tuition + $5,178 fees)	Not reported
143	Hofstra University (New York)	$74,860 ($73,344 tuition + $1,516 fees)	$74,860 ($73,344 tuition + $1,516 fees)
144	The George Washington University (D.C.)	$75,420 ($75,420 tuition + $0 fees)	$75,420 ($75,420 tuition + $0 fees)
145	Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University (New York)	$76,458 ($74,438 tuition + $2,020 fees)	$76,458 ($74,438 tuition + $2,020 fees)
146	University of Michigan (Michigan)	$76,680 ($76,108 tuition + $572 fees)	$79,680 ($79,108 tuition + $572 fees)
147	St. John’s University (New York)	$76,742 ($75,170 tuition + $1,572 fees)	$76,742 ($75,170 tuition + $1,572 fees)
148	Brooklyn Law School (New York)	$76,946 ($75,496 tuition + $1,450 fees)	$76,946 ($75,496 tuition + $1,450 fees)
149	University of Virginia (Virginia)	$77,900 ($74,078 tuition + $3,822 fees)	$80,900 ($76,396 tuition + $4,504 fees)
150	Vanderbilt University (Tennessee)	$78,799 ($76,440 tuition + $2,359 fees)	$78,799 ($76,440 tuition + $2,359 fees)
151	Yale University (Connecticut)	$78,961 ($76,636 tuition + $2,325 fees)	$78,961 ($76,636 tuition + $2,325 fees)
152	Fordham University (New York)	$79,248 ($78,078 tuition + $1,170 fees)	$79,248 ($78,078 tuition + $1,170 fees)
153	Stanford University (California)	$79,707 ($77,454 tuition + $2,253 fees)	Not reported
154	Northwestern University (Illinois)	$80,633 ($79,772 tuition + $861 fees)	$80,583 ($79,722 tuition + $861 fees)
155	Duke University (North Carolina)	$81,829 ($80,100 tuition + $1,729 fees)	$81,829 ($80,100 tuition + $1,729 fees)
156	Harvard University (Massachusetts)	$82,352 ($80,760 tuition + $1,592 fees)	$82,352 ($80,760 tuition + $1,592 fees)
157	Georgetown University (D.C.)	$83,576 ($83,576 tuition + $0 fees)	$83,576 ($83,576 tuition + $0 fees)
158	University of Pennsylvania (Pennsylvania)	$84,492 ($78,348 tuition + $6,144 fees)	$84,492 ($78,348 tuition + $6,144 fees)
159	University of Chicago (Illinois)	$84,906 ($83,316 tuition + $1,590 fees)	$84,906 ($83,316 tuition + $1,590 fees)
160	Cornell University (New York)	$85,412 ($84,722 tuition + $690 fees)	$85,412 ($84,722 tuition + $690 fees)
161	University of Southern California (California)	$85,948 ($84,034 tuition + $1,914 fees)	$85,948 ($84,034 tuition + $1,914 fees)
162	New York University (New York)	$87,214 ($83,952 tuition + $3,262 fees)	$87,214 ($83,952 tuition + $3,262 fees)
163	Columbia University (New York)	$88,390 ($85,368 tuition + $3,022 fees)	$88,390 ($85,368 tuition + $3,022 fees)

*BYU reported its two rates in the ABA’s resident and nonresident columns, but they depend on church membership, not residency. BYU Law lists $15,992 a year for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and $31,984 for students who aren’t members (2025-2026). The ranking uses the figure as reported.

Northwestern University reported a nonresident tuition rate ($79,722) slightly below its resident rate ($79,772). Both figures match its ABA report and are reproduced as reported.

Law Schools That Charge by the Credit

These 30 schools reported full-time tuition only as a rate per credit hour. We don’t convert those rates to a yearly figure, because how many credits you take each year depends on the school’s schedule and your own, so the schools are listed alphabetically instead of ranked. Some of the lowest rates in the ABA data are here: Florida A&M and Nebraska charge residents $456 a credit, and Southern Illinois charges every student $547. The last column is the total number of credits each school requires for the J.D.

School	Tuition per Credit	Required Annual Fees	Credits for the J.D.
Baylor University (Texas)	$1,606 for all students	$95	126 quarter hours
Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois)	$1,830 for all students	$1,010	87
Cooley Law School (Michigan and Florida)	$1,580 for all students	$640	90
Creighton University (Nebraska)	$1,542 for all students	$2,086	90
Florida A&M University (Florida)	$456 resident, $1,098 nonresident	$175	90
Florida International University (Florida)	$691 resident, $1,196 nonresident	$399	90
Florida State University (Florida)	$688 resident, $1,422 nonresident	$3,600	88
Indiana University Indianapolis (Indiana)	$1,028 resident, $1,655 nonresident	$1,243	90
Jacksonville University (Florida)	$1,200 for all students	$820	90
Lincoln Memorial University (Tennessee)	$1,490 for all students	$4,161	90
Oklahoma City University (Oklahoma)	$1,107 for all students	$5,963	90
Regent University (Virginia)	$1,400 for all students	$2,854	90
Santa Clara University (California)	$2,260 for all students	$990	86
Seattle University (Washington)	$2,061 for all students	$728	90
Southern Illinois University (Illinois)	$547 for all students	$5,678	90
University of Arkansas (Arkansas)	$541 resident, $1,304 nonresident	$2,543	90
University of Dayton (Ohio)	$1,380 for all students	$514	90
University of Detroit Mercy (Michigan)	$1,616 for all students	$327	90
University of Illinois Chicago (Illinois)	$1,248 resident, $1,560 nonresident	$4,640	90
University of Kansas (Kansas)	$857 resident, $1,094 nonresident	$1,155	90
University of Missouri (Missouri)	$812 resident, $1,028 nonresident	$1,414	89
University of Missouri-Kansas City (Missouri)	$786 resident, $986 nonresident	$2,350	91
University of Nebraska (Nebraska)	$456 resident, $1,229 nonresident	$3,966	93
University of North Dakota (North Dakota)	$591 resident, $1,181 nonresident	$1,855	90
University of North Texas at Dallas (Texas)	$562 resident, $977 nonresident	$1,901	90
University of Wyoming (Wyoming)	$576 resident, $1,229 nonresident	$1,964	90
Washburn University (Kansas)	$932 resident, $1,393 nonresident	$1,020	90
Widener University Commonwealth Law School (Pennsylvania)	$1,875 for all students	$650	90
Widener University Delaware Law School (Delaware)	$1,950 for all students	$650	90
Wilmington University Farnan School of Law (Delaware)	$838 for all students	$30	86

Profiles: The 25 Lowest-Tuition Law Schools

Each profile uses the ABA’s 2025 Standard 509 data and its 2026 first-time bar passage report. Bar passage is compared with the school’s Council weighted average, the figure the ABA reports alongside each school’s rate: the first-time pass rate for graduates of all ABA-approved law schools in the jurisdictions where the school’s graduates tested, weighted by how many of them tested in each jurisdiction. (The Council is the ABA’s Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.) The bar passage figures include earlier graduates who took the exam for the first time in 2025.

1. University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law

UDC has the lowest resident total of the 163 schools, and its nonresident total of $25,874 is lower than the resident total at 141 of the 163 schools. Plan for living costs here: the school’s off-campus living budget ($34,035 a year) is larger than its tuition and fees combined.

Location: Washington, D.C. (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $12,438 tuition + $1,000 fees = $13,438
Nonresident tuition and fees: $24,874 tuition + $1,000 fees = $25,874
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $34,035 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 150 and 3.38
Acceptance rate: 36.98%
First-time bar passage (2025): 57.89%, compared with a Council weighted average of 82.82%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: law.udc.edu

2. Brigham Young University J. Reuben Clark Law School

BYU’s two rates depend on church membership, not residency. BYU Law lists $15,992 a year for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and $31,984 for students who aren’t members (2025-2026), and the school charges no separate required fees in the ABA data.

Location: Provo, Utah (private)
Resident tuition and fees: $15,992 tuition (Latter-day Saint rate) + $0 fees = $15,992
Nonresident tuition and fees: $31,984 tuition (rate for students who aren’t church members) + $0 fees = $31,984
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $22,436 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 170 and 3.95
Acceptance rate: 22.8%
First-time bar passage (2025): 96.85%, compared with a Council weighted average of 84.77%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 3 awarded, 0 reduced or eliminated
School website: law.byu.edu

3. CUNY School of Law

CUNY is the lowest-tuition school in New York on this list, at $16,013 for residents with fees. Nonresidents pay $26,203. Its off-campus living budget ($30,805 a year) is larger than its resident tuition and fees.

Location: Long Island City, New York (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $15,450 tuition + $563 fees = $16,013
Nonresident tuition and fees: $25,640 tuition + $563 fees = $26,203
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $30,805 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 156 and 3.62
Acceptance rate: 28.65%
First-time bar passage (2025): 69.04%, compared with a Council weighted average of 86.85%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: law.cuny.edu

4. University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law

South Dakota’s resident tuition ($12,076) is the second-lowest of the 163 schools, but its $5,037 in required fees moves it to fourth on total. Nonresidents pay $32,184 in tuition plus the same fees, for $37,221.

Location: Vermillion, South Dakota (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $12,076 tuition + $5,037 fees = $17,113
Nonresident tuition and fees: $32,184 tuition + $5,037 fees = $37,221
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $18,034 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 152 and 3.47
Acceptance rate: 62.47%
First-time bar passage (2025): 69.23%, compared with a Council weighted average of 79.48%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 1 awarded, 0 reduced or eliminated
School website: usd.edu

5. UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law

Arkansas residents pay $17,474 in tuition and fees. The school reported no separate full-time nonresident annual rate to the ABA, so ask the school what an out-of-state student pays before you compare it with other schools.

Location: Little Rock, Arkansas (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $13,770 tuition + $3,704 fees = $17,474
Nonresident tuition and fees: Not reported to the ABA
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $25,459 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 153 and 3.40
Acceptance rate: 54.89%
First-time bar passage (2025): 78.91%, compared with a Council weighted average of 77.72%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 86 awarded, 30 reduced or eliminated
School website: ualr.edu

6. Georgia State University College of Law

Georgia residents pay $17,596 at Georgia State, with fees. Nonresidents pay $39,320. Its 2025 first-time bar passage rate (87.43%) was above the Council weighted average for the jurisdictions where its graduates tested (79.55%).

Location: Atlanta, Georgia (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $16,162 tuition + $1,434 fees = $17,596
Nonresident tuition and fees: $37,886 tuition + $1,434 fees = $39,320
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $26,693 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 161 and 3.64
Acceptance rate: 30.57%
First-time bar passage (2025): 87.43%, compared with a Council weighted average of 79.55%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 72 awarded, 5 reduced or eliminated
School website: law.gsu.edu

7. Southern University Law Center

Southern has the lowest annual tuition of the 163 schools ($11,338), but $7,494 in required fees puts its resident total seventh. Nonresidents pay the same tuition with $22,994 in fees, for $34,332.

Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $11,338 tuition + $7,494 fees = $18,832
Nonresident tuition and fees: $11,338 tuition + $22,994 fees = $34,332
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $32,262 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 147 and 3.19
Acceptance rate: 56.55%
First-time bar passage (2025): 68.09%, compared with a Council weighted average of 80.18%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 21 awarded, 8 reduced or eliminated
School website: sulc.edu

8. North Carolina Central University School of Law

NCCU’s resident total of $19,190 includes $5,746 in required fees, the third-highest fee amount in the top 25. Nonresidents pay $41,862.

Location: Durham, North Carolina (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $13,444 tuition + $5,746 fees = $19,190
Nonresident tuition and fees: $36,116 tuition + $5,746 fees = $41,862
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $28,292 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 151 and 3.35
Acceptance rate: 39.06%
First-time bar passage (2025): 59.4%, compared with a Council weighted average of 81.8%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: nccu.edu

9. University of Georgia School of Law

UGA has the lowest acceptance rate in the top 25 (12.72%) and a median full-time LSAT score of 169. Georgia residents pay $19,502 in tuition and fees, and nonresidents pay $40,402.

Location: Athens, Georgia (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $18,044 tuition + $1,458 fees = $19,502
Nonresident tuition and fees: $38,944 tuition + $1,458 fees = $40,402
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $25,978 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 169 and 3.92
Acceptance rate: 12.72%
First-time bar passage (2025): 88.37%, compared with a Council weighted average of 79.91%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: law.uga.edu

10. University of Mississippi School of Law

Ole Miss reports only $160 in required fees, so tuition makes up nearly all of its $19,957 resident total. Nonresidents pay $26,957.

Location: Oxford, Mississippi (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $19,797 tuition + $160 fees = $19,957
Nonresident tuition and fees: $26,797 tuition + $160 fees = $26,957
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $27,192 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 157 and 3.68
Acceptance rate: 41.96%
First-time bar passage (2025): 78.18%, compared with a Council weighted average of 81.01%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: law.olemiss.edu

11. University of Tennessee Winston College of Law

Tennessee residents pay $20,562 in tuition and fees. Nonresidents pay higher tuition and slightly higher fees ($4,182 instead of $3,866), for a total of $39,322.

Location: Knoxville, Tennessee (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $16,696 tuition + $3,866 fees = $20,562
Nonresident tuition and fees: $35,140 tuition + $4,182 fees = $39,322
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $26,216 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 164 and 3.89
Acceptance rate: 24.77%
First-time bar passage (2025): 85.6%, compared with a Council weighted average of 80.01%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: winston.utk.edu

12. University of New Mexico School of Law

New Mexico residents pay $21,020 in total. Nonresident tuition is $43,192 before fees, so this is a low-cost option mainly for students who already live in the state.

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $19,474 tuition + $1,546 fees = $21,020
Nonresident tuition and fees: $43,192 tuition + $1,546 fees = $44,738
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $23,114 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 157 and 3.56
Acceptance rate: 41.41%
First-time bar passage (2025): 77%, compared with a Council weighted average of 77.9%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 41 awarded, 6 reduced or eliminated
School website: lawschool.unm.edu

13. Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University

Texas residents pay $21,038 and nonresidents $28,167. The school awards many conditional scholarships: of 83 given to students who entered in 2024-2025, 56 were reduced or eliminated, so read the renewal terms on any offer.

Location: Houston, Texas (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $19,202 tuition + $1,836 fees = $21,038
Nonresident tuition and fees: $26,331 tuition + $1,836 fees = $28,167
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $27,784 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 150 and 3.33
Acceptance rate: 33.12%
First-time bar passage (2025): 62.89%, compared with a Council weighted average of 82.61%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 83 awarded, 56 reduced or eliminated
School website: tsu.edu

14. University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law

Memphis charges residents $21,228 and nonresidents $26,948 in tuition and fees, so it stays under $27,000 for out-of-state students. Its required fees are $2,594 for both groups.

Location: Memphis, Tennessee (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $18,634 tuition + $2,594 fees = $21,228
Nonresident tuition and fees: $24,354 tuition + $2,594 fees = $26,948
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $28,729 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 155 and 3.53
Acceptance rate: 41.07%
First-time bar passage (2025): 72.63%, compared with a Council weighted average of 79.75%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 36 awarded, 9 reduced or eliminated
School website: memphis.edu

15. University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law

Florida residents pay $21,804 in tuition and fees. UF’s 2025 first-time bar passage rate (90.2%) was well above the Council weighted average for the jurisdictions where its graduates tested (77.07%).

Location: Gainesville, Florida (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $19,139 tuition + $2,665 fees = $21,804
Nonresident tuition and fees: $36,148 tuition + $3,514 fees = $39,662
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $26,646 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 169 and 3.91
Acceptance rate: 16.52%
First-time bar passage (2025): 90.2%, compared with a Council weighted average of 77.07%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: law.ufl.edu

16. LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center

LSU charges every full-time student the same $19,750 in tuition, but nonresidents pay $19,355 in required fees instead of $3,915. That brings the nonresident total to $39,105, compared with $23,665 for residents.

Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $19,750 tuition + $3,915 fees = $23,665
Nonresident tuition and fees: $19,750 tuition + $19,355 fees = $39,105
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $27,034 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 157 and 3.74
Acceptance rate: 38.55%
First-time bar passage (2025): 85.39%, compared with a Council weighted average of 79.77%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): 163 awarded, 34 reduced or eliminated
School website: law.lsu.edu

17. University of South Carolina Joseph F. Rice School of Law

South Carolina residents pay $24,022 in tuition and fees, and nonresidents pay $41,800. Its 2025 first-time bar passage rate (90.05%) was above the Council weighted average (81.14%).

Location: Columbia, South Carolina (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $20,322 tuition + $3,700 fees = $24,022
Nonresident tuition and fees: $38,100 tuition + $3,700 fees = $41,800
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $25,392 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 162 and 3.67
Acceptance rate: 29.9%
First-time bar passage (2025): 90.05%, compared with a Council weighted average of 81.14%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: sc.edu

18. Northern Illinois University College of Law

Northern Illinois is one of only two public schools on the list that charge nonresidents the same as residents: $24,067 in tuition and fees for everyone. Its required fees are $400.

Location: DeKalb, Illinois (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $23,667 tuition + $400 fees = $24,067
Nonresident tuition and fees: $23,667 tuition + $400 fees = $24,067
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $22,742 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 150 and 3.41
Acceptance rate: 44.27%
First-time bar passage (2025): 61.9%, compared with a Council weighted average of 80.64%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: law.niu.edu

19. University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law

Hawaii residents pay $24,076 in tuition and fees. Nonresidents pay $46,728 in tuition plus the same $772 in fees, for $47,500.

Location: Honolulu, Hawaii (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $23,304 tuition + $772 fees = $24,076
Nonresident tuition and fees: $46,728 tuition + $772 fees = $47,500
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $27,322 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 157 and 3.60
Acceptance rate: 26.24%
First-time bar passage (2025): 77.08%, compared with a Council weighted average of 77.16%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: law.hawaii.edu

20. University of Oklahoma College of Law

Oklahoma’s $6,274 in required fees is the second-highest in the top 25, after Southern’s. Residents pay $24,653 in total and nonresidents $39,631.

Location: Norman, Oklahoma (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $18,379 tuition + $6,274 fees = $24,653
Nonresident tuition and fees: $33,357 tuition + $6,274 fees = $39,631
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $27,748 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 162 and 3.73
Acceptance rate: 33.36%
First-time bar passage (2025): 91.67%, compared with a Council weighted average of 79.96%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: law.ou.edu

21. University of Cincinnati Donald P. Klekamp College of Law

Cincinnati is the lowest-cost school in Ohio on the ranked list, at $24,810 for residents with fees. Nonresidents pay $29,810, and required fees are $800 for both groups.

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $24,010 tuition + $800 fees = $24,810
Nonresident tuition and fees: $29,010 tuition + $800 fees = $29,810
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $25,956 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 159 and 3.80
Acceptance rate: 32.74%
First-time bar passage (2025): 85.12%, compared with a Council weighted average of 78.61%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: law.uc.edu

22. Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law

Kentucky residents pay $25,392 in tuition and fees at Chase, and nonresidents pay $39,458. Its acceptance rate (58.7%) is the second-highest in the top 25, after South Dakota’s.

Location: Highland Heights, Kentucky (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $24,388 tuition + $1,004 fees = $25,392
Nonresident tuition and fees: $38,454 tuition + $1,004 fees = $39,458
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $20,932 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 154 and 3.44
Acceptance rate: 58.7%
First-time bar passage (2025): 76.19%, compared with a Council weighted average of 78.59%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: chaselaw.nku.edu

23. University of Alabama School of Law

Alabama residents pay $25,879 in tuition and fees, and nonresidents pay $48,999. Its 2025 first-time bar passage rate (95.24%) was second only to BYU’s in the top 25.

Location: Tuscaloosa, Alabama (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $24,980 tuition + $899 fees = $25,879
Nonresident tuition and fees: $48,100 tuition + $899 fees = $48,999
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $22,620 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 167 and 3.97
Acceptance rate: 25.63%
First-time bar passage (2025): 95.24%, compared with a Council weighted average of 81.29%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: law.ua.edu

24. University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law

Arizona reports $122 in required fees, so its $26,612 resident total is almost all tuition. Nonresidents pay $31,482 in tuition and fees.

Location: Tucson, Arizona (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $26,490 tuition + $122 fees = $26,612
Nonresident tuition and fees: $31,360 tuition + $122 fees = $31,482
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $25,600 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 163 and 3.78
Acceptance rate: 27.91%
First-time bar passage (2025): 84.13%, compared with a Council weighted average of 77.69%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: law.arizona.edu

25. University of Akron School of Law

Akron charges residents and nonresidents the same tuition ($22,359), and nonresidents pay $4,390 in required fees instead of $4,290, for a total of $26,749. Its 2025 first-time bar passage rate (70.16%) was below the Council weighted average for the jurisdictions where its graduates tested (77.95%).

Location: Akron, Ohio (public)
Resident tuition and fees: $22,359 tuition + $4,290 fees = $26,649
Nonresident tuition and fees: $22,359 tuition + $4,390 fees = $26,749
Tuition guarantee: No
Off-campus living budget: $5,500 a year
Median LSAT and GPA (full-time): 154 and 3.54
Acceptance rate: 58.53%
First-time bar passage (2025): 70.16%, compared with a Council weighted average of 77.95%
Conditional scholarships (students entering in 2024-2025): Not offered
School website: uakron.edu

Public vs. Private Law School Tuition

Public schools dominate the low end of the ranking. Twenty-four of the top 25 are public, and BYU is the only private school in the top 25. The median resident total (the middle value when the totals are sorted) is $30,861 for the 70 public schools and $61,484 for the 93 private schools.

The gap narrows if you aren’t a resident. Most private schools charge one rate to everyone, while most public schools charge nonresidents more. For the 69 public schools that reported a nonresident rate, the median nonresident total is $47,500, so an out-of-state public school can cost more than its rank suggests.

What Residency Does to Your Price

Of the 69 public schools that reported both a resident and a nonresident rate, 67 charge nonresidents more. The other two, Northern Illinois University and Penn State Dickinson Law, charge everyone the same. At the University of South Dakota, for example, residents pay $17,113 in tuition and fees and nonresidents pay $37,221.

The extra charge doesn’t always show up as tuition. Louisiana State University and Southern University Law Center charge residents and nonresidents the same tuition, but nonresidents pay much higher required fees: $19,355 instead of $3,915 at LSU, and $22,994 instead of $7,494 at Southern. That’s why the tables add fees to tuition.

Each state or public university decides who qualifies for the resident rate and whether a student who moves for law school can be reclassified later. If you’re counting on the lower rate, confirm the rules with the university’s residency or registrar’s office before you apply.

Tuition Is Only Part of the Cost

Required fees are reported separately from tuition, and they range from $0 at 12 schools to $7,896 a year at the University of Houston. Living costs usually matter more. Each school reports a living-expense budget for single, full-time students, excluding tuition and fees, and it’s the figure the school uses to set student loan budgets. For 20 of the 25 schools profiled here, the off-campus living budget is larger than resident tuition and fees.

Two other figures can change what you pay over three years:

Tuition guarantee programs: a school with one guarantees that entering students keep the same tuition rate throughout their enrollment. Eight schools reported one in 2025, and none of them is in the top 25.
Conditional scholarships: awards you keep only if you hold a minimum GPA or class rank beyond normal good standing. Fifty-eight schools reported awarding them in 2025. Each school’s Standard 509 report shows how many were reduced or eliminated after the first year. The profiles here list those counts for 2024-2025, and our law school scholarship retention ranking compares schools across three entering classes.

Sticker tuition also isn’t what you’ll repay if you borrow, since loans carry interest. Compare schools by what three years will cost you in total, not by the first year’s tuition.

How to Use This List

Start with the schools in the state where you live now, since that’s where you’re most likely to pay the resident rate. If you’d move for school, compare the nonresident column instead, and check the per-credit list for public schools in that state. If getting in worries you as much as cost, compare acceptance rates on our list of the easiest law schools to get into.

Then look past price: a school’s first-time bar passage rate compared with its Council weighted average tells you more about outcomes than its tuition does. Bar passage rates show how a school’s graduates did on the exam. They don’t show whether a degree qualifies you for admission in every jurisdiction.

ABA approval applies to the law school, not to your license. Many states require a J.D. from an ABA-approved school to sit for the bar, but each jurisdiction sets its own admission rules, including which exam you take, the passing score, the character and fitness review (an investigation of your honesty, conduct and history) and any other paths to a license. Jurisdictions are also switching to the NextGen bar exam on different schedules.

Confirm the current rules with the bar admissions office where you plan to practice, starting from NCBE’s jurisdiction directory. Before you choose a school, also open its own Standard 509 report and tuition page, since rates change every year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the lowest tuition ABA-approved law school?

The University of the District of Columbia has the lowest resident tuition and fees among schools reporting an annual rate: $13,438 for 2025-2026, as reported to the ABA. Southern University Law Center has the lowest tuition alone ($11,338), but its fees bring its total to $18,832. Among per-credit schools, Florida A&M and Nebraska charge residents $456 a credit.

Does lower tuition mean a lower-quality law school?

Not by itself. Every school on this list is ABA-approved, and 24 of the 25 lowest-tuition schools are public schools, where state residents pay a lower rate. Outcomes vary a lot, so compare each school’s first-time bar passage rate with its Council weighted average for the jurisdictions where its graduates tested.

Can you get in-state tuition at a public law school in another state?

It depends on that state’s rules. Each state or public university decides who qualifies as a resident for tuition and whether a student who moved for school can be reclassified later. Ask the university’s residency or registrar’s office before you count on the lower rate.

Are required fees included in tuition?

No. Schools report tuition and required fees separately to the ABA, and this page adds them together for the ranking. Fees ranged from $0 to $7,896 a year for 2025-2026, and at some public schools nonresidents pay much higher fees than residents.

Does any ABA-approved law school charge no tuition?

No. Every school in the 2025 ABA data reported a tuition charge. Scholarships can cover full tuition at some schools, and each school’s Standard 509 report shows how many students received full-tuition awards.

Lowest total: the University of the District of Columbia charges residents $13,438 in tuition and fees, the lowest of the 163 ABA-approved schools reporting an annual rate for 2025-2026.
Residency matters most: 67 of the 69 public schools reporting both rates charge nonresidents more, sometimes through fees rather than tuition.
Fees count: required fees run from $0 to $7,896 a year and can move a school several places in the ranking.
Living costs are bigger: at 20 of the 25 lowest-tuition schools, the off-campus living budget is larger than resident tuition and fees.
Per-credit schools: 30 schools bill by the credit, including some of the lowest rates in the data, such as $456 a credit for residents at Florida A&M and Nebraska.

Price narrows the list, but it shouldn’t be the only filter. When you compare the programs on this page, check whether each one is ABA-approved, which rate you’d pay as a resident or nonresident, and whether a part-time or evening schedule would let you keep working while you study.

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